Hungry for scholarship, easy prey for scammers

• Internet-based con organisations are reaping millions from desperate students seeking to further their education. The catch, oftentimes, is too sweet to ignore

At exactly 10:30 in the morning of August 10, 2010, Jennifer Nyambura* received an e-mail that appeared to deliver hope. The message had three PDF documents attached, and all promised her the same thing: a scholarship offer to a girl who had desired to further her education but was unable to do so for lack of money.

The cover letter read in part: “It is a pleasure to inform you that you’ve been selected for the 2010 World Alumni Scholarship Foundation (WSAF). We are pleased to offer you this scholarship in recognition of your potential for success.”

It was signed by a Mr M Harmon, and at the bottom was a black emblem with the words ‘Education Development’ beneath it.

This courtship, however, had not come from the blue. Jennifer, like many other Kenyans, had been searching for scholarship offers everywhere — including the Internet. But all her applications had borne no fruits, and she was on the verge of giving up on her dreams.

“I had been very unlucky,” she says. “And I thought this one was my final answer to my prayers.” That’s why, after reading the e-mail, she fell for it hook, line and sinker.

It all began three months ago when she bumped into an Internet announcement that read: “You are just a few short steps away from realising your ambitions at a university of your choice. Please note that the scholarship application is only available online. We will not accept any hard copies or physical applications. Candidates must attach soft copies of the documents to be submitted to the Scholarship Committee.”

Jennifer believed this offer was, in fact, a godsend because she met all the requirements. She filed her details immediately, sent them and sat back to wait. The results were to be announced after six weeks, starting early May. But even as she waited, she passed this information to her friends, who also passed it on to other friends. They all applied... and waited.

Six weeks later, a statement was splashed on the organisation’s website postponing the announcement of the results due to “delayed submission of supplemental materials by some applicants.” The slated date (July 30, 2010) was subsequently postponed to August 09, 2010. And they still waited.

For Jennifer, the wait came to an sweet ending with the receipt of the e-mail, which awarded her a scholarship to “study in any university of your choice”.

What a lovely turn of events for the determined girl who, earlier this year, had failed to join the International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) in The Netherlands because she did not secure funds, despite getting an admission letter to the institution.

As a requirement, Jennifer had to sign one of the attached documents to show that she had accepted the award.

Again, she had to give her fingerprints, in what the letter said was a test of true identity for the recipient. Later, the prints would be used to make the recipient a ‘Fingerprint Clearance Card’ provided by an organisation it labelled as ‘International Finger Printing Service.’ She had to part with Sh7,500, in US dollars, for this.

The third document required the recipient to pay up a membership fee equivalent to Sh8,800, again in US dollars. Completed documents were to be sent together with relevant transaction receipts —scanned and sent via e-mail.

Receipts show Jennifer sent the cash and the relevant documents three days after she received the award letter. She also attached a copy of the letter of admission from ITC — just in case they would want to see it. Little did she know she was being robbed.

Initially, the organisation stuck to the e-mail contact that had been provided in the letter and website. And even as she tried to keep in touch, someone at the other end would always respond and promise that things were working right.